“ANONYMOUS” ATTACKER OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY GIVEN A ONE-YEAR STAY AWAY ORDER

Gregg Housh

BOSTON – A Woburn, Massachusetts man (Gregg Housh) was ordered to stay away from the Church of Scientology of Boston for one year after admitting he disrupted religious services there in February 2008.

In the Boston Municipal Court, Gregg Housh, 32, admitted to facts sufficient to warrant a finding of guilt on charges of disturbing the peace and disturbing religious services for leading a February 10, 2008 disturbance at the Boston Church of Scientology. Housh’s case was continued for one year, the terms of which include a court order to stay away from the Church of Scientology of Boston’s locations in the Back Bay and the South End.

Housh is the self-proclaimed leader of the Boston cell of an underground cyber-terrorist group called Anonymous. He is the second member of Anonymous to face criminal charges in the past week for acts committed against a Scientology Church. On Friday October 17th, The U.S. Department of Justice announced the filing of federal criminal charges against New Jersey Anonymous member Dmitriy Guzner related to the January, 2008 attempted destruction of websites owned by the Church of Scientology. Guzner has agreed to plead guilty to felony charges that could send him to prison for ten years.

At the October 21 hearing, Boston Municipal Court Judge Thomas C. Horgan warned Housh that if he violates any of the terms of his probation he could face one year in the House of Correction.

Scientology: Los Angeles Superior Court Issues Restraining Order Against Member Of Anonymous

A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge on Friday, October 24, 2008, issued a restraining order against Donald Myers, a member of a cyber-terrorist group known as Anonymous. The order requires Myers to stay at least 50 yards away from a female Scientologist he stalked and harassed. The order also requires Myers to stay away from the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition at the Church of Scientology International building in Hollywood where the victim works, and stay 50 yards away from the woman’s home. The restraining order lasts for 3 years unless renewed.

Myers was found to have engaged in acts of harassment against the young woman, after video evidence was submitted to the court showing Myers stalking her, taunting her with sexual slurs, and refusing repeated requests to leave her alone. Myers was also ordered by the court to turn over any firearms in his possession to the police.

This is the second restraining order issued against a member of Anonymous this week. On October 21, a Boston Court ordered self-styled Anonymous leader Gregg Housh to stay 100 yards away from the Boston Church of Scientology. Housh was placed on probation for one year with the threat from the Court that if he violates the restraining order or any other law, he faces a year in prison.

Anonymous has been implicated in numerous criminal acts, including bomb threats, death threats, vandalism and computer crimes which are being investigated by law enforcement.

On October 17, The U.S. Department of Justice filed federal criminal charges against New Jersey Anonymous member Dmitriy Guzner related to the January 2008 attempted destruction of websites owned by the Church of Scientology. Guzner has agreed to plead guilty to felony charges that could send him to prison for ten years.

In November 2007, Anonymous member Pekka-Eric Auvinen shot and killed seven students, a nurse and a teacher at Jokela High School in Finland before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life. Prior to these acts Auvinen stated on a website used by Anonymous that he would do this all “in the name of Anonymous.” He was immediately encouraged to carry out his threats by other members of the group, who afterwards called him a “hero.”

“Law enforcement and the courts are seeing through the false image that the cyber-terrorist group Anonymous tries to portray to the media and are sending a clear message to everyone – if Anonymous breaks the law, Anonymous will suffer the legal consequences” said Karin Pouw of the Church of Scientology International. She also said that “the Church will never be intimidated by the criminal acts committed by Anonymous members and will continue to work with law enforcement to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice for the protection of the Church and all groups targeted by these terrorists.”